Computer pioneer Tom Kilburn (standing) and two colleagues at the Ferranti Mark I computer console

Title:

Computer pioneer Tom Kilburn (standing) and two colleagues at the Ferranti Mark I computer console

Date:

1950 ca.

Accession:

102645277

Description:

Dr. Dietrich Prinz, Head of Programming at the English firm Ferranti, wrote the first limited chess program in 1951 on the Ferranti Mark I. The computer was not powerful enough to play a full game of chess but could find the best move if it was only two moves away from checkmate, known as the "mate-in-two" problem.